Your Guardian Angel
by Comingsummers
Summary: Sometimes a single moment in life makes all the difference in the world. When Tommy saves the life of a woman in the casino before his final fights at Sparta he doesn't realize that it's one of those moments. That moment is the start of a complex tapestry that will change their lives forever. Everyone needs a guardian angel, they will be that to each other. Rated M for a reason.
1. Chapter 1

_**- I do not own Tommy Conlon or any other character used in the movie Warrior, nor do I own the plot lines of Warrior. I only own my OC and my original ideas. I am not making money from this story.**_

**Chapter One - Face Down**  
_A pebble in the water makes a ripple effect, every action in this world will bear a consequence, If you wade around forever, you will surely drown, I see what's going down._  
_I see the way you go and say you're right again, say you're right again, Heed my lecture._  
_Do you feel like a man when you push her around? Do you feel better now as she falls to the ground? Well I'll tell you my friend, one day this world's going to end, as your lies crumble down, a new life she has found - Red Jumpsuit Apparatus_

Tommy watched his father walk away with mixed emotions. On the one hand he was glad to have caused the old man some pain, but on the other hand he felt like he was no better than the old bastard. It seemed that ever since he had found himself sitting on the front steps of his childhood home, he had been incapable of doing anything other than causing pain. Hell, if he was willing to get serious about it, that was all he had been capable of for most of his life. Too much pain, and no where near enough joy in his life. He knew that was true, but he didn't think it was much of an excuse for his behavior. It was like when Pop would blame it on the bottle, or his war, then he would beat on Mom. There really wasn't a good excuse for hurting someone that was weaker than yourself, and Pop had most definitely become the weaker one over the years. Revenge just didn't taste as sweet as Tommy would have liked.

As he turned back to the slot machine he vehemently threw a quarter at the cheery screen, allowing a small piece of his rage and confusion to exit his body through the action. He sat on that stool staring through the stupid machine, staring through it and into his miserable life. In his mind he watched his mother's final, painful days. He watched her take her last rattling breath, while he held her in his arms, alone in their freezing apartment. He watched his few happy years with the new new family he had found in the Corps, but that segment of his life seemed to fly by at a rather unfair speed. Then, there he was watching people die again. His brother, Manny, and his other friends. He could only wonder why God was so cruel as to make him live when the rest had died. Why was he destined to live his life surrounded by the dead, but all alone?

He was so deeply engrossed in his own tortured mind that he hardly noticed the person that sat down next to him. When he did realize that there was someone sitting on the stool next to his own he was afraid it has his Pop, back for more verbal bashing. But it was instantly obvious that it wasn't Pop. It was, in fact, a rather small woman that was trying to sip a drink with hands that shook like a frail leaf in a hurricane. Tommy immediately thought that she looked familiar, but he couldn't quite place her. She had a pretty profile, though it was marred by the way her lower lip trembled. He couldn't really tell much about her hair; it looked like it had a bad dye job that was washing out, and it was up in a messy bun on top of her head, but it looked long and thick. She was dressed in jeans and a Sparta sweatshirt that was about eight sizes too large for her. In spite of her rather disheveled appearance he had to admit that she was rather attractive, and he briefly considered saying something to her.

Then, seemingly out of nowhere he spotted the stupid mohawk that belonged to Mad Dog Grimes rapidly approaching them, and he knew where he had seen the girl sitting beside him. He had seen her down at the gym on a couple of occasions, always looking lost and scared, always watching Grimes. She had never been affectionate with Grimes when they were at the gym, but Tommy had seen him dragging her around behind him, like a dog might drag a particularly juicy bone. Tommy had assumed that the woman was his girlfriend, and the fact that she was at Sparta only seemed to confirm that.

He was watching the approach of the other fighter with mild interest - it did make for a decent distraction from his own misery - but when the woman beside him realized that Grimes was near them she practically jumped out of her skin. It was not the reaction of a happy girlfriend that had just seen the love of her life coming to her side. She suddenly turned to him, and he saw that the hidden side of her face was one continuous collage of purple. Her right eye was almost completely swollen shut, and there was significant swelling across the entire left side of her face. She fixed him with a pleading stare with her good eye and whispered, "Please, help me."

The same instant that the words reached Tommy's ears Mad Dog reached them. He brutally grabbed the girl by her hair and jerked her from the stool. Tommy was on his feet in that same instant, but Mad Dog got one solid punch to the girl's stomach before Tommy caught his fist on the second swing. The hit that was intended for the small woman's abdomen was hard enough to hurt on Tommy's palm when he caught the swing at the midway point, and Tommy couldn't help but wonder how badly she was hurt from the first hit.  
Grimes swung his head around with a snarl, "Stay out of it Riordan! This Dog just needs to teach his little Bitch some manners."

Grimes tried to jerk his hand away, but Tommy held firm, and saw that Colt was rushing over to them, surely headed over to do damage control. Just as Colt reached them Tommy noticed the girl sag limply, only Grimes' hold on her hair keeping her from hitting the floor, and that was when he saw it. There was blood steadily running out of her right ear, and trickling down her thin neck. Tommy knew that that was a pretty serious sign when it happened after you took a hit, and he was pretty sure the girl needed to get to a hospital. Now.  
Tommy was shocked by the hoarse and horrified nature of his voice, "Christ, Colt! Get an ambulance here! This chick is gonna die!"

* * *

The first time that Caitlin laid eyes on Pete 'Mad Dog' Grimes had been what she thought was the start of her fairy tale, but in truth it was just the happy beginning that lulls you into the worst kind of a nightmare. She had been working at Galahad's, a bar that just happened to be right down the street from Colt's gym. She hadn't chosen to work at that bar because of its location - unlike several of the other waitresses - she had just started working there because it was the first place that had hired her. She only planned to work there until she got a real job. Not that waiting tables wasn't real work, she just hadn't spent the last six years studying herself to death to become a waitress.

Alas, Fate was a villainous lady, and she obviously had other plans when she placed Grimes in Caitlin's section that Thursday night. At first he had been a perfect gentleman, flirting with skill, and even getting her to give him her number. Hell, he had even called her the very next day and asked her out to dinner at a fancy restaurant. He had seemed like a real catch at first, but people can only hide their true nature for so long.

In his case he had hidden it for just shy of a month. That whole time had been a dream for Caitlin, champagne kisses and caviar dreams. He had taken her out to all the nice places that people talked about, he had lavished her with gifts, told her she was smart and beautiful, and had even seemed proud and impressed by her career choice. But then the day came that she got offered that real job, and he had exploded like a barrel of dynamite. That had been the first time that he hit her, in fact, it was the first time that anyone had hit her since she was a Freshman in highschool. He had followed the brutal punch by locking her in a closet for 24 hours. Yes, she knew it was kidnapping, knew it was a felony, but the things that he told her he would do to her - and several other people- kept her from doing anything about it. She had politely declined the job offer.

The next three months had been a lot less Cinderella, and a lot more Hansel and Gretel... or something like that. He wasn't fattening her up so he could eat her, but she sure was locked in a cage, and he seemed a lot more like the Wicked Witch than Prince Charming. There had been times when he would lock her away for days at a time, and other times when he would make her get dressed up, and parade her around in front of his buddies. Always there were the threats hanging in the air over her head.

Then, one day, he had come home, pulled her out of the dark closet that he had left her in that morning, and told her to get ready to leave in the morning; they would be leaving to go to a big fight. He had informed her that this fight would change their world; he was going to win the $5 million purse and then she would never be able to hide from him. In that moment she had prayed that he would be killed in the fight.  
Unfortunately, that hadn't been the case, at least not yet. The first day was over and he had not only won both of his fights, but he had walked away virtually unscathed. She had, of course, made some foolish comment - she couldn't even remember what it had been - and he had taken out a little extra anger on her. Well, to be fair, he had taken out a lot of extra anger. The massive discoloration on her face was the least of her problems, and she feared that the damage was worse than it looked.

She had waited until she was certain that he had fallen asleep, and then she had waited some more. She couldn't risk him finding that she was gone until she was long gone. It had been nearly dawn when she had finally fled the hotel room, but she hadn't made it very far before she felt like she couldn't take another step. She had only made it to the casino floor, and then she had been forced to find a place to sit down. She had scanned the machines for a few seconds before she had spotted a large man that was sitting at a slot machine, looking at it like he could somehow make it explode with his eyes. She wasn't sure why the angry man made her feel secure, but he did, and so she had struggled to the seat next to him and ordered a drink from the waitress as she made her rounds.

She had sat there for several minutes, just sipping on her drink, trying to find the strength to run. The large man beside her hadn't even glanced at her in that time, and in a way she was relieved. She didn't really want to try and make small talk. Eventually she did feel his eyes on her though, and she was about to say something to him, when she saw the famous mohawk approaching fast. She knew that he would kill her if he got his hands on her, but she also knew that she didn't have the physical ability to run. So, she did something that she never thought she could do; she turned and asked for help.

She had been terrified when she turned to face the man beside her, and the words had just come out. Then there was a slight flash of hope when she recognized the man, it was the same guy that had beat the crap out of her tormentor only days before they had begun dating. The hope was short lived however, when she felt Mad Dog's fingers digging viciously into her scalp and ripping her from her seat. He landed an incredibly powerful punch to her already pummeled abdomen and she was expecting the second hit that always followed, but it never came. She was aware that there were some words spoken above her, but then she was no longer aware of anything.

* * *

It had only been a few seconds before security had arrived and taken Grimes away from him, and less than a minute before the EMT on duty at the hotel had come to try and stabilize the girl, but to Tommy it all felt like an eternity. During that eternity he came to the conclusion that his whole life was based upon people laying in their own blood. His mother, Manny, all the dead and dying that he had seen overseas... yes, it was a definite theme, and he didn't much like it.

He had watched with as little interest as possible when the ambulance workers had arrived. He had tried to ignore the way their faces turned a pale green color, and tried not to hear the words that they whispered to each other as they loaded the girl's limp form. He didn't know why he cared about the frail girl. He couldn't just let that little prick beat her in the middle of the casino, but why did he give a shit about the aftermath? For the first time in weeks he craved some pills, it was almost unbearable in fact.

After the ambulance pulled away he saw Colt walking around with a handful of $100 bills, handing them out to the security workers, the waitress, anybody that he thought had seen the altercation. Mad Dog was at his side when he approached Tommy and the mohawked punk actually had the audacity to growl at him. Colt had better manners of course, and understood the severity of the situation. His response made Tommy think that this was probably not the first time that something like this had happened.

"Thank you Tommy. You averted a potentially bad situation. Miss Caldwell had an accident in the tub, and Pete here was just worried about her." Colt's eyes were full of meaning and Tommy knew that he was pleading with him not to blow the tournament for his boy. The fat stack of bills that Colt shoved into his palm made that point crystal clear. Tommy didn't much want to let this slide, but he knew that he would see Mad Dog in the ring that night, and he could exact vengeance there. He also knew that there was a chance he wouldn't win this thing in the end, and Pilar needed the money. So, he shut his mouth, shoved the money in his pocket, and walked out into the night air.

* * *

Tommy wasn't exactly sure how he wound up in the waiting room of the Atlantic Regional Hospital, but there he was. He was sweaty from the three mile run he had just made to get there, but his breathing was steady, and the ghosts in his mind were quiet for the moment at least. He made his way to the reception desk and looked at the middle aged woman manning the station. He knew that he could charm the pants off of women when he wanted to, but at that moment he didn't feel particularly charming. His lying skills weren't the best, he prefered to omit the truth instead of outright changing it, but he felt that the time called for a little white lie. Of course, he couldn't say why it did...

"Excuse me ma'am, my sister, Miss Caldwell, just got brought in from the Resort Hotel downtown... I understand she got into a scuffle down there." He tried to look both concerned and embarrassed for the behaviour of his sister, but based on the look the woman gave him, he only managed to look really mad. His go-to look.

He was oddly lucky though, and she actually looked at the computer. "Yes Sir, your sister is stable, she will be headed into surgery in a few minutes to deal with the bleeding in her brain..." It seemed that the woman realized that he probably wasn't the girl's brother, and she trailed off.

He decided that his time was up, and that it was best to leave it alone. "Ummm... Thanks, I'll be back in a while to check on her." He turned and started to jog out of the lobby. He could hear the woman calling out to him, wanting some ID or some such, but he really didn't want to deal with that. He had no business there in the first place. It wasn't like she was his girlfriend. At that thought he could only wonder where Mad Dog and Colt were, and their absence made him remember all the trips to the hospital he and his brother had made with his mother, and then all the other, different trips, he had made alone with his mother after they left. He really hated hospitals, and he hated facing them alone even more.

* * *

Caitlin hurt... oh good God did she hurt. She had remained mercifully unconscious for several hours, but the doctors hadn't felt it necessary to put her in a medicated coma, or anything useful like that. Though she couldn't really find a part of her body that didn't hurt, she was certain that it was her head that hurt the worst. She could remember the beating that she had taken the night before... that and the... rest. She also remembered asking for help, and she knew that the man had showed her some kind of kindness and had most likely saved her life. Though, thinking back to how those dark eyes had looked at her when she had asked, she couldn't be sure about that assumption. The man had not looked overly kind to her cause. But, she was still alive, and in a hospital bed, so that had to say something.

She had only been awake for a minute or two when a nurse briskly entered her room, hardly even acknowledging her conscious presence. The woman walked over to the bed and began noting things on a sheet of paper, shoving a thermometer under Caitlin's tongue without a greeting even. When the nurse seemed satisfied with the readings she finally addressed Caitlin, "Well, it seems you will live to see another day. Your bills have been covered, but it has been suggested that you keep your mouth shut... do you understand?" The nurse stared at her pointedly, and Caitlin understood that Mad Dog had assured that she would receive treatment, but that she had better pretend her lips were stitched shut... or else. She nodded her head in understanding and closed her eyes, she didn't want to know the rest.

Unfortunately, the nurse didn't particularly care about what she wanted. "You made it through surgery pretty well, but you suffered from an arterial bleed in your brain. You're just lucky to be alive." The woman gave her another pointed look, as if she should thank Grimes for not killing her. Caitlin guessed the nurse was either a crazed fan, or she had been paid a hell of a lot of money for her attitude. Her voice down was downright snarky, "A doctor will be by later to test your mental... abilities."

"Thank you... I appreciate the work you all have done for me. Ummm... is there a TV here?" Caitlin most definitely did understand what had been done for her, and what had been done to her. Now she needed to see the rest of the tournament tonight, so she could figure out how bad things really were for her. If Mad Dog won, then she knew that she was screwed, but if he lost then she might be able to get away safely. They couldn't keep her in the hospital for very long on a cash basis.

The starched and pressed woman looked at her like she was a lost cause. "Why yes, the remote is on the desk beside you." She turned and strolled out of the room without another word.

**Well folks, I have decided to give into my utter insanity and go ahead and start a new project. Hopefully you all enjoy my latest madness!**

**I have decided to dedicate this story to my loyal reader/reviewer and fellow Tommy Conlon fan, 26RH. Thanks for the support! **

**Please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two - Only If For A Night  
**_And the only solution was to stand and fight, And my body was loose and I was set alight, But she came over me like some holy rite, And although I was burning, you're the only light, Only if for a night - Florence + The Machine_

Fight time arrived much too fast and Tommy was by no means in the best condition for it. The confrontation in the casino with his father had only set the wheels in motion, and once those wheels started rolling, there was no stopping them. He had hurriedly evacuated the hospital and gone for a long run to clear his mind, but he had eventually gone back the the room he shared with his Pop. As soon as he had entered the posh room he had caught the scent of booze in the air, but he had tried to ignore it. He had showered and climbed into the over-soft bed, trying to sleep. He hadn't laid there for very long when he heard the slurred voice of his father yelling about a ship, and had gotten up to investigate. He and found his old man stumbling around, clutching a whiskey bottle like a life rope, screaming about Ahab, and doomed vessels. His revenge had turned into bitter regret in that moment.

He had gotten his father safely on the bed and had held him like a child, and the position brought back many unhappy memories. All those heart wrenching thoughts had made it impossible for Tommy to sleep like that, and so he had just stayed like that, holding his Pop and watching him restlessly sleep. He had only slipped away when he knew that he had to get down to prepare for his first fight. That fight was the only glimmer of light in his dark mind. He knew that he would get to seek some retribution that wouldn't taste bitter in his mouth. Mad Dog deserved everything that Tommy could dish out, and more. In that moment, all of the rage and hate that he felt for the father that he had grown up with had carried into the cowardly bastard that had nearly beaten a pretty girl to death.

Tommy had used the phone in the room to call and check the status of Miss Caldwell, right before he had headed down to his locker room. He had played the concerned brother card again, and surprisingly, it had worked. The woman on the phone had told him that she was conscious and seemed to have retained all of her mental faculties, but that she had numerous other injuries, and the nurse had told him that 'she wasn't at liberty to divulge all of that information'. Whatever the hell that meant. All he could think was that at least she was still alive and that she would be OK.

Tommy still wasn't sure why he had taken such an interest. He had no intention of ever seeing the woman again, but her situation had called out to him. It was just too familiar to him, and it brought all those ugly thoughts to the foreground again. He swore to himself that he wouldn't put any more thought into her. Not after he had paid Mad Dog back for her. That would be it.

They had called him to go to the ring and he had made his way down the ramp. Though he could hear the screams of the crowd, could even hear the sound of his fans from the Marines singing for him, he felt alone. He knew that all those people would be silent if they knew the truth about him. He was no hero, just someone that couldn't stand the thought of more people dying while he watched. In spite of the fact that he knew he was unworthy of the adulation those real heroes were showing him he nodded his recognition of them. He respected those men, even if he no longer respected himself.

When Grimes came bouncing into the ring, Tommy was able to silence the cacophony of horror in his mind. He watched indifferently as the mohawked fighter jumped around, ignored his ridiculously antagonizing bark as he passed him. He forced his mind to focus on how good it would feel when his fist connected with his arrogant face when they had to bump gloves and pretend to be good sportsmen. Then the bell rang and it was only a matter of seconds before Tommy had Grimes on the mat underneath him. His fists rained down, knocking away all of the arrogance that had been there seconds before. He was too filled with rage to smile when he first felt the crunch of bones shattering under his hand, but inside he giggled with glee. And still he continued to viciously strike the now unconscious man. He only stopped when he was forcibly pulled from the limp body, and even then it was a struggle to stop. He was only able to do so by surging from the cage.  
He only hoped that when Mad Dog woke up he would understand why he had received the beating he had so deserved.

* * *

Caitlin had watched Tommy enter the ring with a combination of hope and despair. She knew that he had beaten Grimes before, but that was before, and this was now. She had heard all the hours of talk of beating Tommy - killing him even - and she knew Mad Dog had worked hard to fulfill his dream of retribution. Of course, she had seen all the fights of the previous night, and she thought that Tommy was the better fighter, but she could only hope that was the truth.

When the bell sounded she was shocked by how quickly Tommy had Grimes on the mat, and she watched with both horror and joy as his fists bounced off the face of her oppressor. She saw the moment when the light went out in Mad Dog's eyes and she counted at least eight more hits before the ref finally pulled Tommy off. Though the fight had been slightly disturbing, she couldn't help but feel giddy. After the beating he had just taken, Grimes would most likely be stuck in the hospital for a few days, and that would give her the chance to escape. She was so thankful to Tommy Riordan that she could practically kiss him.

She watched the second fight of the night with a grin plastered onto her face, even though it hurt like crazy to smile that big. Her only interest in the fight was to see who Tommy would fight next. He had done so much for her - even if he didn't know it - and she wanted him to win. He deserved all that money, and she hoped that the weaker fighter would somehow win. That way it would be an easy win for Tommy. The Conlon guy seemed able to take a punch, but otherwise she felt like he had only won his other fights because of dumb luck. She didn't figure that dumb luck would be enough to beat Tommy, so she was rooting for the underdog, even if it was just so that she could see him lose later.

The first two rounds obviously went to the Russian, and Caitlin was actually rather surprised that Conlon had stuck it out that long. He looked about half dead and she couldn't see what the point was in him continuing. And then, there was Lady Luck again. The third round started and it seemed like Conlon had found some hidden reserve of strength. He started fighting like a madman, and she was suddenly watching an evenly matched fight. Then, there it was, right at the end of the third round, Koba tapped out. Oddly, Caitlin didn't feel as happy about the outcome as she had thought she would. There was just something wrong about it and it made her stomach turn to think about it.

A commercial break came on and Caitlin struggled out of the hospital bed. There was something nibbling at her brain, something that had nothing to do with the hit to the head she had taken. She was missing something, something big and important. Movement had always been her method of dealing with confusion, a habit that had made her professors insane. Though, she was nearly overwhelmed by the dizziness that tried to consume her once she was on her feet, she shuffled across the room and back to the bed twice before the chimes sounded on the TV, alerting her of the fact that there was some special announcement. She felt a sick, hopeful joy at the thought that maybe Tommy had accidentally killed Mad Dog, but the words that exited through the speakers were much more startling.

She was able to focus on the first few words, and then she heard 'Thomas Conlon', and she felt her legs buckle from beneath her. She was suddenly sitting on the hospital floor, her head swimming. How could she have not recognized him? The boy that she had met in the hospital in Washington, while she watched her mother die. The boy that had been there the last time she took a punch 11 years ago. Now that she had heard the name, she was shocked that she had somehow missed it. Of course, he had changed over the years, He was much larger and the fire in his eyes had changed from a slow burn to a rampaging forest fire, but he was still the same in so many ways. Now she felt even more in his debt. He had not only saved her once, but twice. It just wouldn't do, she couldn't leave a debt like that unpaid.

As the shock wore off, the rest of the words began to seep into her addled mind. Tommy had deserted the Marines after all of his friends had died due to friendly fire, and now he was going to be punished for it. The military police were waiting for him and they would take him away as soon as the fight ended. And he had pledged to give away the winnings... She knew it was a stupid thing for him to do, he would need that money for his defence. The military wouldn't care that he was a star now, or that he had saved lives. All they would see was that he had done something that he wasn't supposed to, and they wouldn't want that to go unpunished. His only hope was a good lawyer, and a few good friends in the higher ups. Otherwise, he would be locked in a cage, and Caitlin knew that Tommy Conlon was not the kind of guy that could live in a cage.

Caitlin struggled to her feet, knowing that everything that had happened to her in this life had been for a reason. She would repay her debt.

* * *

Tommy had been moderately surprised when Brendan had beaten Koba. He quietly remarked to himself about the fact that his brother had balls. It wasn't a big surprise that Brendan had a pair, he had always tried to stand up to Pop when things would go south in their unhappy home. Both of the boys had taken more than their fair share of beatings when they were growing up, but it seemed that Brendan had often got the worst of it. Well, at least the worst of the two boys, their mom had really taken more beatings than any woman should. The only time that Tommy had felt that Brendan didn't have balls was when he had slunk off like a beaten dog, as he and his mom drove away to their escape. Or at least what they had hoped would be their escape. If Brendan really had balls he would have been with them, not sulking away to make out with some stupid girl. He wouldn't have abandoned Tommy to be the man when he was only 14.

So, while it was only a mild surprise that he would have to fight his brother, it most definitely wasn't a welcome one. He had no love for the man that had at one time been his brother, but he still didn't really want to beat the crap out of him. He wanted Brendan to hurt, to suffer like he had been forced to , but he hadn't much enjoyed inflicting that pain on Pop, so he doubted very much that he would enjoy hurting Brendan either.

He was at a loss - unsure what he should do - when the door to the locker room blasted open, revealing three MPs. He knew why they were there before they even opened their mouths to explain the reason for their appearance. He had been expecting their arrival since the night before. The moment he saw that young man on the TV, talking about how he had saved them all, he had known that the jig was up. It was only a matter of time before they came to collect them, he had only hoped that he would have time to win the money for Pilar. He was rather surprised when he was informed that he would be allowed to finish his final fight, but he shrugged the knowledge off. It was, after all, only fair that he would be allowed the chance to provide for the family of the man these people had killed. They sure as hell weren't doing it.

The longer he was forced to sit and wait for fight time, the faster the rage built in him. By the time they came back to get him for the fight he was radiating anger in hot waves that seemed to burn anyone that they touched. It seemed that no one wanted to get close to him on the walk to the ring, and that only made him more angry. There he was again; alone, facing something that he didn't know how to handle. Where was his _compassionate father_ now? Where were all those nameless women that had told him how they loved him after they saw his video on YouTube? He didn't know where they were, but he sure as hell knew where they weren't and that was at his side. He was alone, just as he always had been and just as he always would be.

When he reached the ring he no longer felt that the idea of beating Brendan to a bloody pulp was such a bad idea. After all, that wasn't his brother in the ring, his brother was dead. He entered the cage, his eyes blazing, and rage surging through his blood. It was all he could do not to just rip Brendan's head right off when he was dumb enough to ask where Pop was. Why did he give a shit? Tommy had remembered how much he hated that old man, and he was glad that he wasn't there. The feelings of remorse that he had felt earlier had only made him weak, and he couldn't be weak. Not if he was going to fulfil his promises.

The bell rang and he moved forward with as much ferocity as he had displayed in his earlier fights, maybe even more, but he found that when he swung to hit Brendan he was holding something back. No matter how hard his brain tried to tell his body to fight harder, to hit harder, his body just wouldn't comply. His body saw the same blood that ran through their veins, and it refused to harm his brother.

In the third round it became obvious that Brendan's body had no such compunctions, however.

* * *

Tommy was sitting in a cold room, alone. His physical pain was excruciating , but it was nothing compared to the pain of being alone again. In those last moments of the fight Tommy had felt the promise of no longer having to face the world alone. Brendan had let him know that he was still loved, regardless of what had happened between them 14 years before, or what had happened in the ring, he was still loved. For the first time since Manny had died, Tommy had felt like maybe he didn't have to carry the whole world on his shoulders, like he didn't have to let the anger be his only lifeline. The walk out of the ring had confirmed that, as Brendan pushed away the cameras and the fans. For the first time in a long time, Tommy felt like he had a brother again.

They had made it to Brendan's locker room and had shared a short moment alone, and then Frank and Tess had blasted in, and Tommy was alone again. Brendan might still have a shred of love for the brother of his childhood, but the family of the present was more important to him it seemed. Brendan had given Tommy's hand one last squeeze before he had rushed in for a group hug with his new and improved family. Tommy couldn't fault Brendan for his choices anymore, but he sure as hell didn't feel like he was part of that scene. He had only had a few seconds to awkwardly watch the affectionate and loving scene in front of him before the MPs came bursting into the room. Playtime was over, and Tommy understood that he would be facing this new challenge alone. His eyes had returned to their typical angry glare and he had walked to the MPs without aid.

They had allowed the medic on site to look at his shoulder, reset it in the socket, and place it in a sling. The medic had said that it was important that he get it checked out at the hospital as soon as possible - that he had felt what seemed to be damage to the cartilage in the joint - but it had been about 14 hours since they had left the arena and there had been no trip to the hospital, and he didn't expect one to be forthcoming.

He had been moved from his cell to this cold, little interview room several minutes before. They had told him that his attorney would be meeting with him to discuss the specifics of his case, but he didn't see the point. The specifics were that he had run away after his brother had been killed by their own men. There wasn't much else to it,and he didn't really feel like there was any defence that would matter. They would either let him off, or they would make an example out of him, and at that moment he found that he didn't even care any more. He found that while the all consuming rage was still there - just biding its time til it could come out and play again - he was mostly just tired. It was a tiredness that wouldn't be cured with rest, it was an exhaustion that would only be cured with time. If it was ever cured.

He had closed his eyes briefly, willing away all the pain that filled his soul. Willing away the anger, the hurt, the loss, and the agony that made him who he was. He didn't want to be that person any more, he didn't want to change, he just didn't want to be him. Didn't want to be anything.

His eyes snapped open at the sound of the heavy door quietly opening to allow entry to his attorney, but the person that walked through the door was the last person on the planet that he expected, and he wasn't at all sure if he was happy with that fact.

**Well folks... I received such a positive response on this that I decided to thank you all with a new chapter. Don't get used to updates every day, but know that I have every intention of updating this story regularly. I'm really glad that you guys like this, and I hope that you all continue to enjoy it! Please continue to give me feedback!**

**I want to say that I know absolutely nothing about the Military Police, so I don't know how they would handle Tommy's injury, but for my story I needed them to be real jerks. So, if anybody knows that they would never behave this way, please don't be offended! Thanks!**

**Please show me some love and hit that review button!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three - Long Day**  
_I'm sorry 'bout the attitude, I need to give when I'm with you, But no one else would take this shit from me , And I'm so, Terrified of no one else but me, I'm here all the time, I won't go away It's me, yeah I can't get myself to go away, It's me, and I can't get myself to go away, Oh God I shouldn't feel this way - Matchbox Twenty_

Caitlin had been shocked when she heard that the other Conlon man was Tommy's brother. As far as she had known, he was an only child. She had never seen anyone else with him, and on the few occasions that they had spoken he had never mentioned any family other than his mother. What was even more shocking to her was the brutality the brothers showed each other when the fight began. She watched it with horrified fascination, almost refusing to believe that brothers could inflict that kind of damage on one another, even if it was mostly Tommy inflicting the damage. Or at least that was true until the third round, and then the tables turned in a very brutal way.

She saw the moment when the fight was over, even if they continued fighting for another round and a half. She was shocked that Tommy's trainer didn't put it to a halt, but then she realized that the old man wasn't even there. That knowledge made a rage flare up inside of her that she had thought had disappeared years before. She could taste copper in the back of her throat and her knuckles burned as if she had violently battered them only seconds before, and yet they still cried for more abuse. In her rage fueled state she struggled across the room to where her belongings had been placed a few hours before. She was intent on getting to the arena and stopping the fight. If no one else was going to do it she would. But those plans were put to swift halt as she tried to quickly dress in her regular clothes, and instead fell in a heap on the floor. She watched the rest of the fight from the cold linoleum, her pulse hammering in her ears as her mind demanded action, but her body refused.

When the fight came to its true conclusion she watched the other Conlon brother help Tommy out of the cage and down to the locker room, and she felt her heart begin to slow and her more rational mind broke through again. It wasn't that she was no longer angry, she was in fact even more angry, but it had finally become the cold anger that she could work with. She understood that it would only be a matter of minutes before he would be taken into custody, and if she was going to help him then it was time for her to start using her brain.

She knew absolutely nothing about conduct in Military court and she figured she had maybe 12 hours to learn. She pulled herself back to her feet and _slowly_ pulled on jeans and a t-shirt. She then searched through her duffle bag and pulled out her cell phone. She would have prefered to be able to do the research on a computer screen, but she made do with what she had. Turning off the TV as soon as she made it back to the bed, she began her search on proper court conduct and what the typical sentence was for deserting.  
She spent the rest of the night reading everything she could find out there, including legal briefs and even forum discussions. By the time the sun had risen in the sky she felt that she had a pretty firm grasp of what she was about to face. She knew that the military took desertion very seriously and that it was unlikely that she would be able to get him completely off the hook. She had also discovered that he would be assigned a military attorney and that it would be up to him if he wanted to use a civilian attorney as well. She figured he probably wouldn't, but she didn't really plan on giving him the choice.

Once she was confident that she had learned everything she was going to at that point she finally climbed out of her bed. The dizziness was better than it had been the night before, but the world still shifted precariously with every step she took. She shook her head to try to clear the spinning, but instead it caused her head to feel like it was going to explode. She made a note to not try that motion again any time soon, and made her way into the small bathroom attached to her room. She had been in there the previous day, but had made a point not to look in the mirror, this time she forced herself to look.

The swelling in the left side of her face was gone, but the colors were even more pronounced; ranging from nearly black to a baby blue that would have been very pretty if it wasn't on a face. The rest of her bruises were hidden by her clothes, but she knew she would get a chance to look them over soon enough. Her naturally blonde hair was still showing the black dye that she had been forced to put into it, but it was faded and she figured it would all be gone after another washing. The right side of her head was marred by a shaved spot that was just over an inch square, and in the middle of it was a high tech looking bandage that she knew covered the small hole they had drilled into her skull.

The nurse that had come to check on her during the night had been slightly kinder than the first woman and she had told her that the tape would stay on for about ten days, and would hold up to normal washing. She had also informed her that she was expected to leave by eleven that morning. She figured that the fact that Mad Dog had lost the tournament and would probably be incurring his own hefty hospital bill had reduced the generosity for her care, but she didn't mind; she needed to leave anyway.

She carefully undressed, trying to be gentle with her fractured ribs and the other areas on her body that were hurting. Her left ribs and the lower portion of her stomach had taken the worst of the beating the night before, and she had to remain diligent as she climbed into the shower so as not to jar the tender flesh. When she began washing her hair and scrubbing her body she could see the black of the dye and the red of her blood slowly swirling together and going down the drain, and it caused her to have her first breakdown over the situation.

She slowly collapsed in on herself, like a pane of shattered glass. She fell to the floor of the shower and gently rocked herself under the hot water. Her quiet sobs echoed off of the walls of the shower stall, but no one came to check on her and she had never expected that anyone would. She had been on her own for 12 years and she had learned to hold herself when she needed comfort. At that point she wasn't even sure if she would know how to accept comfort from somebody else. While she sat in the shower she didn't think, she just felt. Felt all the fear, all the anger, and all the sorrow that tinged her soul. Her soul was the same color as the dirty water that floated down the drain.

* * *

"Well Miss..."

"Caldwell" Caitlin supplied helpfully.

"Well Miss Caldwell, I assure you that Staff Sergeant Conlon has been assigned an attorney already, and I'm sure that they will be able to handle the case. Furthermore, I have not been informed of his request for a civilian to represent him. It is really highly irregular in a situation like this. Civilians aren't held to the same standards as our men and so they often have difficulty understanding the criminal implications of desertion. No offence, but I doubt you will be much help to him Miss." The man that was standing in front of her was a high level official, though Caitlin wasn't familiar enough with the military anymore to be sure exactly where he ranked. Lieutenant maybe? He was older, with grey hair and a face that looked like it had been carved out of granite. He might have said that he didn't intend to offend her, but his mannerism suggested that he most certainly did. She didn't particularly care for him, but she knew that she would have to play nice if she intended to get in on the case.

"Sir, I understand your hesitation in allowing me access to this prisoner, but I do come from a military family and I assure you that I most definitely understand the complexity. I am also a friend of the family, and they personally asked for my assistance. I may be a rookie of sorts, but I know the law and I know the military. I will handle this with the respect and consideration that it deserves, Sir." She tried to sound respectful, but she was afraid that she may have come across simply as impassioned. She was also lying out of her ass about being a family friend. Of course, she didn't really care how she sounded, just as long as the guard dog let her in with Tommy.

She had maxed out her only credit card in order to buy the suit that she now wore and it had taken her nearly an hour to figure out a way to comb her hair in order to cover the bald spot, but she felt that she looked relatively presentable. In spite of the coloration of her face. She knew that the Marine was not taking her seriously due to the fact that she was young, bruised, and a civilian, but she also could see that he going to cave.

"Well, Miss Caldwell, I suppose I can let you in to meet with him, but I hope that you will recommend that your friend accepts the counsel appointed to him. It truly will be in his best interests Miss." She could tell that the man was sincere in his words, but she also knew that as far along as he was in his career, he would be a bit biased. So, she just smiled sweetly and nodded her head in agreement. He grunted at her and pointed at a heavy door to her right. "Just through there and on your left... and Miss Caldwell, remember what we talked about."

* * *

Tommy stared in front of him in complete disbelief, the woman was not the same person that he had saved the night before, and yet she most definitely was. All of the black had washed out of her hair, showing that it was a stunning strawberry blonde, and it was swept up in a sleek and professional updo. The left side of her face was still heavily discolored, but she no longer looked even slightly afraid, instead she looked cool and confident. Her blue eyes shone vibrantly and seemed to hold his intently, and then it snapped for him. He knew those eyes. She was almost unrecognizable in every other way, but her eyes hadn't changed a bit. They were still full of warmth and compassion, but there was a healthy dose of... something else... that thing that had always gotten her in trouble.

"Caitlin O'Neil." He wasn't asking, it was a statement. This woman had been the closest thing he had to a friend while he watched his mother die in Washington. He couldn't say that they had been close, they had never visited one another's homes, had never talked about thier past or thier home life, or anything else for that matter. Really, she had just shown him compassion that first time he had taken his mother to the hospital, and he had, in turn, given her safety the day he had spotted her in trouble in a dark alley. There had been a few other little interactions, but those were the only two that seemed to matter in his mind.

"It's Caldwell now." He remembered that Colt and the hospital had used that name, but it was confusing to him. She had been O'Neil back then, so why had it changed?

"You married?"

"No." The way her green eyes flashed as she answered made it clear that the conversation was over and that she wouldn't answer any more questions about it.

"Why are you hear Caitlin?" He had always tended to be blunt, and the fact that he was in military custody with an aching body did not aid him in maintaining his patience.

"I'm your lawyer." She stated the fact as if it was obvious, but his eyes widened in disbelief. He looked her over a little more critically, trying to figure out how that could be possible. She did look very professional, but he couldn't picture her as a lawyer. She had way too great a penchant for trouble to ever be someone that stood for law and order. There was also the fact that she sure as hell couldn't be in the Marines.

He narrowed his eyes at her in irritation, the old, familiar rage coming back over his exhaustion. "What are you on about? You ain't no lawyer." He didn't understand how it was possible for someone to be playing a cruel joke on him, but that was the only thing that he saw as possible. There was no way that Caitlin O'Neil - or Caldwell - was a lawyer, and even if she was, there was no chance that she would remember him and show up to save his ass. Hell, when he really thought about it, she should still be in the hospital.

He was brought back to reality by her soft chuckle. "Oh Tommy, its been a long time, and yes I am a lawyer. Just barely, but I passed the bar and everything... I'm the real deal and I'm here to help you." She smiled kindly and it just made Tommy madder. He was probably some stupid project to her, just a little pro bono case to get her feet wet, or worse yet a _charity_ case.

"I don't want no damn help." He spat the words out like they tasted bad in his mouth, his eyes flashing with hatred and rage, and he waited to see her storm out of the room. Instead she pulled the chair out on the other side of the desk, and gingerly say down, her right hand holding her ribs as she lowered her body. Once she was settled, she folded her hands on the table and stared him in the eyes. Her eyes weren't hurt, or angry, they just held a challenge. He understood that she wasn't going to walk away, no matter how hot his temper was, no matter how mean he got. She was, in fact, challenging him to do his worst, asking him to just get it out of the way.

He glared right back at her, but no matter how hard he tried to think of something to say, something that would show her that she had made a mistake, he couldn't come up with a damn thing. They sat that way for at least five minutes; Tommy occasionally opening his mouth, but closing it again when he realized how pathetic he would sound. Finally, the fire in him died down, banking itself for the next time, never really going out. He closed his eyes, and took a deep breath that made his stomach lurch from the pain in his shoulder. When he opened his eyes to look at Caitlin once more he nodded his head.

"OK then. I think I should still talk to the attorney that they appointed to you, but you can decide if you want him involved or not. I admit that I have never done any work on a military case, but I've done my research..." She trailed off and he could see that her confidence was really only skin deep, she was as lost as he was in reality.

He nodded at her and spoke with less of the hard edge that he had shown her moments before, though it was still there. "You can talk to him if you want, but I don't want him around." He had already planned on telling the appointed lawyer to take a flying leap, and this would just make it easier. He didn't really figure that it mattered who his lawyer was, or if he even had one. He knew they had already made their decisions about him, just like he had made his decision about them. There would be no changing his mind, and he expected that whatever they had planned for him would be what would happen. He didn't figure a pretty girl would make a difference.

That wouldn't be the last time he would be wrong about Caitlin O'Neil.

**I'm sorry that this chapter is a little shorter than normal, but I didn't think there would be a good breaking point for a while after this and I didn't want to make you guys wait. I hope you all are still enjoying the story!**

**Thank you to those of you that have added me to your faves, or are now following me. It means a lot!**

**Please review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four - Shake it Out**

_Regrets collect like old friends, Here to relive your darkest moments, I can see no way,_

_I can see no way, And all of the ghouls come out to play_

_And every demon wants his pound of flesh, But I like to keep some things to myself, I like to keep my issues drawn, It's always darkest before the dawn_

_And I've been a fool and I've been blind, I can never leave the past behind, I can see no way, I can see no way, I'm always dragging that horse around - Florence + The Machine_

When Caitlin finished her talk with Tommy she had informed the guard she had first spoken with of the fact that Tommy was declining his appointed counsel, and she had been unsurprised by his colorful response. She had, however, been rather surprised when he alerted her to the fact that the trial would take place in one week. At Marine headquarters, in Virginia. She had felt her stomach drop out of her body and fly about a mile into the earth at the news, but she had maintained her confident expression and smiled warmly at the domineering man.

"Thank you for your time, Sir. Now, if you'll excuse me, it seems that I need to look at airfare." She had smiled again and pushed passed him to exit the dreary building.

The sun seemed too bright as she walked through the heavy double doors and out into the courtyard. As her eyes adjusted to the sudden brightness she noticed three people approaching her with hopeful and concerned expressions. She recognized the two men, but not the woman. The man in the lead was none other than Brendan Conlon, Tommy's supposed brother. He was closely followed by a pretty blonde woman that looked like she was on the verge of tears, and bringing up the rear, was Tommy's trainer. She couldn't remember the man's name, but she thought it might be Paddy. He also looked rather emotional, and he was obviously world weary. The only one that looked even slightly pulled together was Brendan, and that was saying something considering the state of his face.

She paused and waited while the small group approached her. When they reached her the old man pulled his hat off and began nervously twisting it in his hand. She eyed the group warily, knowing that at least the two men were not high on her favorite people list. She didn't know anything about the woman, and so was holding off on judgement until she did, but the fact that she was with these particular men did not bode well for her.

Finally, the old man spoke and his smoke hardened voice hit her ears. "They won't let us in to see Tommy, but they said that the woman lawyer we had sent was in with him. Now, we all know that we didn't send you, but we don't care about your little story, just so long as you're gonna help our Tommy." His eyes locked onto hers and she could see all the sadness and regret that filled the old man. She felt her angry heart soften slightly at the suffering that the man was obviously experiencing.

She sighed slightly, and gingerly rubbed her eyes with exhaustion. It had been a rather long couple of days, to say the least. "Yes Sir, I am here to help Tommy. At this point its not a surprise that they are keeping friends and..." She paused and glanced at Brendan searchingly. "...family in to see him, but I'm sure that they will allow ya'll to see him once he gets transferred to Virginia." The thought of the transfer sent a small chill running down her spine. She had no idea how she was going to get down to Virginia, or even where she was planning on sleeping that night.

Brendan stepped forward and held his hand out to her in greeting. She briefly considered ignoring the gesture, but her upbringing just wouldn't let her get away with that so instead she firmly shook his hand. "I'm Brendan Conlon, Tommy's brother. This is my wife, Tess. And this is my father Paddy Conlon." Brendan had indicated the pretty blonde first and then the old man, and she had politely shaken hands with both of them. "And you are?"

"Caitlin Caldwell." She nodded politely as she spoke, and actually felt slightly embarrassed that she hadn't introduced herself without being asked.

"So, what brought you to Tommy's aid? We know it wasn't us; so who was it?" Brendan wasn't unfriendly in his questioning, but it was obvious to Caitlin that he was concerned about her motives.

"I owe Tommy, and I repay my debts." She spoke quietly, almost as if she was ashamed that she owed anything to anyone. Which, she supposed was at least halfway true. There was more to it of course, she was uncomfortable speaking to Tommy's family - a family she had been unaware existed - and she was unsure how much they knew, and what she could share with them. Overall, it left her feeling very uncertian and nervous.

Brendan nodded his understanding, but it was Paddy that spoke next. "Well, we 'preciate your help, ma'am. I'm sure that Brendan here will be happy to pay your usual fee." Paddy lightly elbowed Brendan at his statement to insure that the younger man would agree.

Caitlin swiftly began shaking her head, which in turn caused her to feel exceedingly dizzy, and she felt her legs trying to collapse from under her. She felt a strong hand wrap around her upper arm, then a smaller one took her other arm and she was being led to a low wall that delineated a small lawn area. She was gently pushed down so she was sitting on the wall and then she heard a feminine whisper in her ear. "Honey, you're walking around looking like you tapped out in one of the fights this weekend, and you're carrying a duffle bag. I think it's safe to say that you could use a little help. Let us do what's right by Tommy for once. Let us help him by helping you. Will you... please?"

She looked up into the kind and concerned face of Tess, who was looking at her with a mixture of pleading and sympathy. Caitlin looked down at the concrete under her feet and took deep breath, briefly weighing her options. She was broke, unemployed, and homeless. Sure, she had her first case, but unless she accepted the help of these people it wasn't going to pay the bills. And there was the fact that she would also have to find a way to get to Virginia. Finally she looked back up into Tess's kind eyes and nodded her head slightly.

"I will let you all pay for my travel expenses, but that's it. I won't take your money." As she spoke she noticed that the world started to tilt around her, and she glanced around to make sure that it was just her. When she looked back at Tess, she noticed that there were two blonde women instead of the one that should be there, and knew she was in trouble. And then she felt as though a tornado had suddenly sucked her up, and she was spinning in a blur. When she reached the top of her imagined tornado she discovered that all there was there was blackness, and she couldn't help but welcome it.

Tommy had been left alone in the small interrogation room for quite a while after Caitlin left, but eventually a young man had come and collected him. He had been surprised and rather displeased when they had led him in the opposite direction of his cell, but had followed behind without asking questions. They had traveled down several long corridors before finally exiting through a heavy, steel door. Before him was a large helicopter and four armed men. The sight caused him to shiver internally, though he didn't allow even the slightest hint of emotion to cross his face. Ever since those choppers had flown over shooting all of the other men in his squad, and dropping vicious bombs he had felt less than eager to be near them, and he found that his feet stopped moving in spite of his mind willing them to continue forward.

The young man that had been leading him continued on for several paces before realizing that Tommy wasn't behind him any longer. Once the man realized that, he was quick to double back and grab ahold of Tommy's left upper arm and tug. The pain was excruciating and Tommy swung viciously at the smaller man, without thinking about it. Fortunately for both of them his brain caught him before he actually connected with the young man's head, and he stopped short less than an inch away. The boy didn't miss the action though, and he dropped Tommy's arm swiftly, backing away a few feet.

"Hey, I'm sorry, Sir. I forgot that you're injured." His hands were raised in front of him in surrender and Tommy couldn't help the twinge of guilt that he felt.

He only grunted in reply, not trusting his voice due to the pain he was experiencing. Caitlin had told him that she would try to arrange for a doctor to check out his shoulder, but he didn't hold much hope that it would happen. In spite of the fact that she had seemed very well versed in the law and even had a working knowledge of the military, he doubted that she would be of much help in his current situation. He was thankful that she had done away with his military attorney at least though. It was one less loose end for him to worry about.

Slowly, he made his way forward, trying to ignore the fact that he was moving toward the very kind of vehicle that had killed his brother. Finally, he reached the two men nearest the door and they roughly tugged him forward, forcing him into the cabin as the engine roared to life. As soon as he was strapped into his seat the chopper began rising from the ground, and in only a few minutes they were racing south along the coastline. Though his anxiety had reduced slightly once he had entered the cabin, he could still feel his heart hammering in his chest, and he was beginning to think that it was due to more than just the helicopter.

He was jerked from his thoughts by the rather reedy voice of the young man that had jerked his arm moments before. "Hey man, I'm really sorry I tugged on you like that... I totally forgot that you got hurt." The young man was strapped in across from him and was shifting uncomfortably, almost like a small child that needed to use the bathroom. "Um... I'm actually a really big fan. Of everything you've done, actually." He cleared his throat quietly and looked everywhere, except at Tommy.

Tommy was rather stunned and couldn't even begin to formulate a response to the younger man. He couldn't possibly mean what he had just said; there wasn't anybody on earth that was a fan of_ everything_ he had done. Deserting was not something to be proud of, nor was it something that deserved adoration. After a moment of thought he realized he needed to say something, in case the boy really did think that was a good thing. "You can't possibly mean that... maybe you're a fan of my fighting. I'll buy that, but there is nothing else to be a fan of." He gave the young man a hard look that was intended to assure there would be no argument, but he found that his stare seemed to be falling short for him that day.

"Actually, I am a fan of it all... I know that not many people think it was right that you left after... well, you know, but I think it was the right thing. I know that if that happened to me I wouldn't be able to just get over it and 'be a good soldier'. I just couldn't." The man made little quotes with his fingers by his head at the good soldier bit, and seemed rather upset by the topic. "And then you saved those guys. If you hadn't made the choices you did, then they would have died." He paused and finally looked Tommy in the eye, all of his passion showing in the brief look, as he spoke his last thoughts. "You know, I'm not a big believer in God, but I think that He made you leave because He knew you would save those guys. He had to make things right... You know?"

Tommy could feel his mouth just begging to hang open and catch flies, but he managed to stop it before it could make him look like a complete fool. He was absolutely stunned that anyone would think that he had done the _right_ thing by walking away, by giving up, by deserting. The entire concept was so insanely foreign to him that he couldn't imagine anyone feeling that way. How could this boy respect a man that was such a pussy that he couldn't even stand his ground and do his duty? There was nothing good or right about walking away and abandoning the other men in his division. Or was there? Was the kid right, that he had left so that he could save those other soldiers? Was God really trying to make things right, trying to make up for all the losses he had suffered? No. It just wasn't possible, there was no righting all those wrongs.

He knew that he had been silent for a long time, and he felt that the kid deserved a response, even if it probably wasn't the one that he was hoping for. "No, I don't know. God has failed me too many times, and I don't think he is controlling me or propelling me toward any destiny. Life sucks, then you die... and thats all there is to it." He closed his eyes, just to be sure that the conversation would end, but not before he saw the boy smirk with a hidden knowledge, and Tommy couldn't help but wonder what that guy knew that he didn't...

**Author's Note:**

**Well, hello everyone! I'm so sorry I have been SO long in updating. I have been super busy, and I just really haven't been able to devote any time to writing. I know this is a shorter chapter than usual, but I really wanted to get something out to you all. I also want to let the readers that read both this and Shadows know that a new chapter of Shadows will be out pretty soon. Again, I'm so sorry that this took so long. **

**Now, I do want to address something that was mentioned in a couple of reviews, etc... I could be wrong, but it seemed that several readers found it hard to believe that Caitlin could be a lawyer and an abused woman. I want to make it very clear that abuse strikes ALL education and financial levels. I have known doctors, counselors, and teachers that have been in abusive relationships. I know these women personally and I know that just because you are smart, educated and have some money doesn't meant that you cant be abused into a belief that you are weak and deserve the treatment. I'm sorry if this comes across as preachy, but it bothered me that some people seemed to be unaware of that. OK, I'm off of my soap box now.**

**I hope you all enjoy this chapter... Please review!**


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